What's Up In The Missouri Valley: What's Up In The Missouri Valley 2/4/2022

NCAA mid-major Top 25 rankings: Saint Mary’s ascends, Drake finding groove--Heat Check CBB

19. Missouri State Bears (17-7)

The Bears come in hot off a 15-point win in Carbondale over a solid Southern Illinois club. Missouri State is lights-out from just about anywhere on the court, ranking in the top 35 nationally in 2-point percentage, 3-point percentage and free throw percentage. Only Colorado State and VMI can make that same claim. The Bears will need to be firing on all cylinders in their next two games, too, as they host Loyola Chicago before a trip to Des Moines to face Drake. While Missouri State has already beaten both teams, the Bears trail them by a half-game in the standings. -AD
16. Drake Bulldogs (17-6)

Winners of four straight, Drake currently sits at 8-2 in the Missouri Valley ahead of a matchup with in-state rival Northern Iowa on Saturday. In fact, the current win streak began with the Bulldogs’ overtime win on the road against UNI back on Jan. 22. Since that game, Tank Hemphill has returned and is averaging 11.0 points off the bench. He also added two blocks and two steals in Drake’s Jan. 30 win over Loyola Chicago to pull even atop the MVC leaderboard. With Darian DeVries‘ squad running back at full strength, the Bulldogs just might take home the regular-season title. -AD
3. Loyola Chicago Ramblers (17-4)

The word ramble has two definitions: to walk about leisurely, and to speak at length without saying anything important. Loyola embodied the first version during its 14-2 start, but that second definition has seemed more fitting of late. The team posted its four worst 3-point shooting performances of the season during January, including a combined 26.3 percent in losses to Missouri State and Drake. Groundhog’s Day may have brought about an early spring, though, as Loyola shot 13-of-27 (48.1 percent) from 3-point land in a leisurely stroll over Illinois State on Feb. 2. -AD

Murray State’s Journey to the MVC--Valley Hoops Insider
Interview With UIC Head Coach Luke Yaklich--Missouri Valley Beat
Analysis: Winners and losers from MVC realignment--Bradley Scout

Braves Face Evansville on Saturday--bradleybraves.com
Rienk Mast Named Prairie Farms Athlete of the Month--bradleybraves.com

‘Just a different perspective’: Gabi Haack’s turn from on the court hero to off the court leader--Bradley Scout
Williams Leads Indiana State By Braves, 83-63--bradleybraves.com

Rivalry Rematch On Tap at the Knapp Center--godrakebulldogs.com

Bulldogs Fall After Back and Forth Battle with Valpo--godrakebulldogs.com

5 thoughts on Evansville men's basketball at the midpoint of MVC play--Evansville Courier & Press
UE set for Saturday home game against Bradley--gopurpleaces.com

Aces challenge Redbirds, ultimately falling in road matchup--gopurpleaces.com

Watch now: Howard Fleming Jr., Illinois State look for homecourt edge to end losing streak--The Pantagraph
ISU Hosts Southern Illinois on Taste of Redbirds Night--goredbirds.com

Watch now: Slow starting Illinois State women charge past Evansville--The Pantagraph
ISU shakes off slow start, dominates second half en route to 75-60 win over Evansville--Vidette Online
Redbirds Complete Season Sweep of Purple Aces--goredbirds.com

DOWN IN THE VALLEY: Five takeaways from ISU's home loss to Drake--Terre Haute Tribune Star
ISU on quest for health in visit to Valpo--Terre Haute Tribune Star
Sycamores Look to Even Season Series with Valpo Saturday on the Road--gosycamores.com

ISU women hope to bounce back on central Illinois road swing--Terre Haute Tribune Star
Sycamores snap two-game skid, complete season sweep of Bradley--gosycamores.com

The Big 10: Illinois’ crucial stretch, Loyola’s high-wire act, Coach K’s final visit to UNC--Chicago Sun-Times

4. Loy-oh-no-la: As frustrating as it might be, 17-4 Loyola probably can’t afford to lose a third Missouri Valley game if it wants to avoid a scenario in which a conference tournament championship is its only route to the NCAA Tournament. That makes Sunday’s game at Missouri State look pretty scary. The Bears got 40 points from Isiaih Mosley and won at Gentile Arena two weeks ago.

5. Ramblers, man: You want a streak? Here’s a streak. Loyola has won 23 straight against in-state opponents. That includes five wins each against Bradley and Southern Illinois, four against Illinois State, two against UIC, one against DePaul and one against — what’s the name of that school again? — Illinois.

Loyola Wrestles With Bears Sunday In Key MVC Contest--loyolaramblers.com

Ramblers Battle, Come Up Short At UNI, 69-56--loyolaramblers.com